1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a power output apparatus, a control system for the power output apparatus, and a control method of the power output apparatus.
2. Description of the Prior Art
One proposed power output apparatus is mounted on a hybrid vehicle, where an engine, a generator, and a drive shaft are respectively linked to three rotational elements of a planetary gear mechanism and a motor is connected to the drive shaft via a transmission (see, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open Gazette No. 2002-225578). This proposed power output apparatus selectively changes over the gear position of the transmission between a high gear position and a low gear position, based on the measured vehicle speed and the required driving force to be output to the drive shaft. The output power of the motor is converted at the selected gear position of the transmission and is output to the drive shaft at a desired power level corresponding to the driving conditions of the hybrid vehicle. Even in the case of temporary stop of transmission of the output power of the motor to the drive shaft during a change of the gear position in the transmission, the output power of the engine compensates for the insufficient power output to the drive shaft in the gear change of the transmission.